Greetings! You have received the first issue of You in Motion, a free newsletter from the Southern California Orthopedic Institute. This e-newsletter is designed to deliver useful information to help people of all ages maintain a healthy, happy and active lifestyle. Click here to sign up.

Traditional knee replacement surgery is proven as highly successful in alleviating pain and restoring mobility. However, rehabilitation after traditional surgery can be lengthy and painful. Many people unfortunately postpone knee replacement, not wanting to be away from work and everyday activities for months; still others are concerned about a long surgical scar. A new option has emerged, however, reducing the healing time and the incision.

Because orthopedic conditions have such an enormous impact on our society, this decade has been designated as the Bone and Joint Decade. One out of every seven Americans is affected by a bone, joint, or muscle impairment, from arthritis to fractures and tennis elbow. Perhaps even more staggering is that half of all injuries in the U.S. are to the muscle and skeletal system.

On the surface, the neck does not appear to be the complex part of your body that it truly is. But think of it: besides small vertebrae and discs to absorb shock, it also includes joints, the spinal cord, nerve roots, vascular elements, muscles, and ligaments. Coupled with the neck’s mobility, that complexity contributes to the chronic and acute pain and injury often associated with it.